The Wolf Prince
by FrenchieLeigh
Summary: ONESHOT: After an exhausting day of mothering three boys, Tokio gathers the family together for a bedtime story. Little do they know of the truth behind the fiction. Side story to CiF


**Author's Note: **I know I haven't been around much, and that is likely to continue what with my psychotic life schedule and all. Even as I write this I'm supposed to be behind the lens of a camera telling those platform pumps to _work it!_

I've had this scene in my head for quite some time now, so I thought this might suffice for somewhat of an update even if it takes place a good thirteen years after _Changes in Friendship_ will end.

Also, totally funny story. Ta-chan makes an appearance here because he was actually supposed to make his debut in CiF, but I started writing _The Arrangement_ before he even got the chance to show his face. (and there's probably a good six or seven chapters until we see him in CiF too. Whoops) So, haha? :D

Minor spoilers ahead for current readers of CiF, but not really anything you couldn't see coming, which is why I didn't wait to post this. Probably major spoilers for non-readers, if you plan to go over there at any point.

Alright enough out of me.

**Disclaimer**: I do not own any of the official Rurouni Kenshin/Samurai X characters. I do reserve the rights to all OCs

**The Wolf Prince**

"Mother, a story! Please, please, _please!_"

Tokio looked down at her ten year old son with his hands clasped together in prayer, inching his way over to her in his knees.

"Aren't you a bit old for stories?" she asked gently, reaching down to pick up her youngest boy, freshly three years old that week.

"Really, Tsuyoshi," came the slightly cracked, on the verge of deepening, yet all-too-condescending voice of the oldest of her children, "bedtime stories are _so_ juvenile."

Tsuyoshi sat back, crossing his arms angrily and turning his head to the side, chewing on the inside of his mouth to keep his rebuttal in check. _You're so juvenile!_ is what he wanted to shout back, but he had already been punished for acting without thinking four times this week. Starting another fight would add to his losses.

"Tsutomu," Tokio began evenly, lowering herself to the floor, closing her eyes, and taking a deep breath, "I understand that you are older now, but belittling your brother is _not_ appropriate behavior."

Tsutomu raised his chin and crossed his arms, leaning casually against the door frame of the large bedroom he shared with his brothers. His golden eyes challenged his mother silently, and for what seemed like the sixty-fourth time today, Tokio repeated her _I am his mother _mantra, and cursed whoever it was that decided boys ever needed to become teenagers.

"All I'm saying mother," he replied, "is that real men don't need silly fairytales to fall asleep."

"'tory!" The toddler in her lap, Tatsuo, threw up his hands laughing.

"Alright, alright," she sighed, giving in, "_one_ story."

Tatsuo clapped and Tsuyoshi grinned, his grey eyes shining in the soft light the sunset cast into the room.

"Everyone get ready for bed!" Tokio called out, snapping her fingers. The younger two boys raced towards the wardrobe, curls bouncing with each step they took. Tsutomu remained against the wood, having already changed into his sleeping yukata and watched his brothers as they hurriedly shed their day clothes.

"You coddle them."

"I coddled you."

Just as he was about to open his mouth to make a horribly under-thought, sarcastic comment, a strong hand fell on the top of his head, silencing him.

"Darling," Tokio cooed, looking up from the seat she had taken on the floor.

Saitou Hajime looked about the messy room, never removing his hand from Tsutomu. He watched Tsuyoshi help Tatsuo into his sleepwear and start pulling a futon from the closet.

"Go help your brothers," he said lowly, giving his eldest a less-than-gentle nudge in their direction. Tsutomu did so without protest.

He didn't know how Tokio did it. He had asked for three sons, and she had given them to him. He was a good father, proud and strong, but a bit rough. He couldn't help it. He enjoyed the structure of his life. A structure that children demolished every day without fail. Still, he had the privilege of waking each morning and leaving the house. He came home to enjoy a nice meal, about an hour of play, scolding, or lecturing, then sent them off to bed, granting him a time of peace, quiet, and affection with his wife.

It was a wonderful system.

Tokio did not have that privilege. No, Tokio was at home all day with these little monsters, save the short hours when two of them went off to school. When they were all young, it wasn't so bad, and Saitou even wished he could cut back on some of his working hours. Those were days of fun, and smiles, when tears were simply washed away with a piggy back ride or a fishing trip.

And then puberty came.

It claimed Tsutomu first. Normally one would imagine that Saitou Hajime would have relished in the fact that his son was becoming a stoic, sarcastic ass. Except, Saitou relished in the fact that _he_ was a stoic, sarcastic ass and because of this, no one dared challenge him. No one, except now his son.

In the beginning, it had been easy enough. Tsutomu had muttered a couple comments under his breath. A simple glare from the alpha male had set him straight, but as his hormones began to rage, he became braver, his words louder, and his tone far more acrid than any thirteen year old's should be.

Tokio said he reminded her of his father.

It was because of this terrible life stage that Saitou was in no hurry for his other two boys to grow up lest he have more than one adolescent in the house (though it was bound to happen). If his wife's bedtime fantasy stories kept them young, then so be it.

So, as his three offspring stood bickering with their beds half made, and Tokio stared up at him with a frustrated look of desperation, he stepped in.

"Quiet!" he barked, soaking in Tokio's triumphant smile as the chatter came to an abrupt halt. Tatsuo's lip began to quiver at his father's frightening tone and though the two older boys slipped silently under their blankets, Saitou allowed his features to soften as the little one thudded towards him.

"If a papa isn't too old for stories," he began, sitting down next to Tokio and pulling Tatsuo up onto his lap, "then neither are you."

"Well then," Tokio breathed, "which story would you like to hear?"

"The thief and the farm boy!" Tsuyoshi cried out, "I love that one."

Tsutomu let out a small huff. "You _always_ pick that one. I'm tired of it."

"The wanderer and the raccoon girl is a good one," Tokio suggested.

Saitou let a small smile creep up onto his face, "They're getting married soon," he said quietly.

"Really now?" Tokio had met the wanderer, _the battousai,_ three years prior and though their initial meeting had been nothing short of a fierce drama on her part, she had eventually accepted his existence and even found mild curiosity in the romance that he may or may not have been involved in.

"What about _The Wolf Prince_?"

The room quieted again and Tsutomu sent a glare around at his family. "_What_? It's a good one and we haven't heard it in a while."

Considering his suggestion, Tokio looked to her husband. "It's May," she whispered.

This month was always a difficult one for Saitou, even if she was the only one who picked up on his subtle clues of mourning. This was the month he had lost his favourite comrade, his best friend, to a force that no man could control. He rarely spoke of his Shinsengumi days, even to Tokio, who had lived them alongside him, but they were never far from his thoughts.

Once a wolf, always a wolf.

He didn't blame himself and on most days he accepted the fact that Okita was gone, but for that one month out of the year, it haunted him. That one month, when everything fell apart. That one month, when he had watched an undefeated man wither alongside his lover, inflicted with the same curse.

That one month, shrouded in death.

He was aware that Tokio knew what this month did to him, and was grateful that she never made mention of it. She never pitied him or tended to him any differently, being the good woman that she was, and kept his pride intact.

There were nights at this time of the year when she would retire to bed early, claiming a headache and when he pressed his ear to the wall and heard her muffled sobs, he would stay clear until he was absolutely certain she was asleep.

Time didn't heal all wounds.

Saitou cleared his throat, dismissing the nightmarish memories that threatened him.

"_The Wolf Prince_ is an appropriate story for tonight, I think," he replied.

He hated the story initially. Tokio had taken a liking to turning all of her meetings with people into ridiculous fairy tales for the boys. While most of these stories were entertaining, and as it turned out, she was a very good storyteller, reducing a man such as Okita to nothing more than a children's bedtime tale did not sit well with him.

_They should learn the truth_, he had argued, to which she had of course countered with, _they will_.

He had lost that argument time and time again, but the more the story was told, and the more magic and fairy dust that coated it, the more he began to enjoy it, despite his distaste for such frivolities.

Oh the things fatherhood does to a man.

Eventually, he couldn't help but smile when Tokio pulled _The Wolf Prince_ from her thoughts. While he still didn't find it to be an appropriate homage to the first captain, he soon began to realize that Okita probably would have been over the moon about it.

"Is everyone ready?" Tokio asked, "everyone comfortable?"

Tsutomu rolled his eyes, Tsuyoshi wiggled in place, making sure he was had the _perfect_ spot, and Tatsuo was already nestled in the crook of his father's arm, staring ahead with glossy eyes and heavy lids.

There was the soft sound of slow padded footsteps and lazily, Tsutomu's beast of a wolf-dog, Ta-chan, settled himself down next to his master, laying his head on his lap. With a small whine and a short, strained wag of his tail, he closed his eyes, now blind from old age, and drifted off to sleep.

With the family all together, Tokio grinned and shifted her weight. "Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess."

Saitou snorted.

"She _was_ beautiful," she reminded him with a slight jab to his ribs, "and she lived-"

"Where did she live?" Tsuyoshi asked.

His older brother scoffed. "We all know she lived in Kyoto. Don't ask senseless questions."

"and she_ lived_ in Kyoto," Tokio went on testily, wondering if she was even going to be able to begin the story without having to knock some heads together. "In an enormous house."

"Like the old Yamata house!"

"Yes Tsuyoshi," she sighed, "exactly like the old Yamata house."

"_I heard_ that building is haunted," Tsutomu began, "my teacher told me that the husband and wife got beheaded for corrupt allegiances during the revolution. Serves them right."

"Tsutomu!" Saitou snapped, "If I ever hear you say that again, _you_ will be decapitated."

"Well it's true," he protested. "Aku soku zan and all."

"True or not, it is not a fitting conversation for children. Now sit back and listen to your mother."

Tomorrow he would be having a small chat with this teacher of his about how to properly educate children on their country's history.

Tokio looked around at everyone, and when Saitou gave her a nod, she continued on.

"Nearby there lived a handsome prince who had been friends with the princess for a very long time. He was a great warrior and a strong leader to his people. He was highly respected for his skills, and loved for his kindness and generosity.

"The princess fell in love with the prince and it wasn't long before he realized he also loved her in return. They were happy together, and wanted very much to be married.

"One day, an evil clan of foxes moved into the city. Foxes are very handsome, and very tricky creatures. They did not like the prince or his people, and wanted him to suffer greatly. The fox king came up with a horrible scheme and one night, in the dead silence of the misty streets, put a curse on the young prince, and turned him into a wolf!

"_How can the princess love me like this?_ the prince asked himself, for now he was nothing more than a beast! All of the people of the city who had loved and adored him now shrunk away in fear and loathing, but the prince's heart was still pure and he continued to protect those people who judged him. He did so in the shadows, never showing his face to the princess.

"When the prince disappeared, the princess grew very sad and locked herself away for many years. It wasn't until one night, when she finally brought herself out of her solitude, did she find him again.

"The prince's curse had spread to those loyal to him, and soon wolves and foxes both prowled the city, waiting, and searching for one another. The wolves strode through the streets, confident in their strength and power, but the foxes kept themselves hidden, relying on their cunning and underhanded trickery.

"One night, while the princess was walking back to her house, a battle broke out in the streets. The prince was among the warriors and when he saw his beautiful princess, he became afraid.

"_You must leave, princess!_ he called out to her, _it is not safe!_

_ "_But the princess did not leave. When the battle was over and the foxes retreated, she knelt by the wolf and rubbed his soft ears, petting the black fur that shone so brightly in the moonlight.

"_Is that you, my prince? _she asked him, _have you finally returned to me?_

_ "I am not the prince you remember_, he replied sadly, _I am a beast now. _

_ "_The princess did not see her beloved prince as a beast at all. The very next day, she appeared before the city's magic man and begged him to turn her into a wolf as well.

"_My love has a terrible curse upon him! _she cried, _Please, make me a wolf so we can be together again! _

"But the magic man could not turn her into a wolf because he did not know how to perform dark magic. When he saw how sad the princess became, he dug through his giant wooden chest and pulled out a magnificent pelt from a white wolf in the North.

"_Take this_, he told her, _So long as you wear this skin, the magic of the white wolf will grant you the power to live among your prince and his people. _

_ "Oh thank you, thank you! _said the princess, hugging the beautiful skin.

"_But_, warned the magic man, _you must never remove it. Once you have taken off the pelt, the magic will disappear and you will remain human forever._

_ "_The princess was so happy that she ran all the way to the prince's house. When she arrived and showed him what the magic man had done for her, they were both overjoyed. Donning the pelt, she was immediately transformed into a snowy white wolf!

"The other wolves were also very happy that the princess could live among them, but when the foxes found out about the magic the princess had used, they became very angry.

"_The wolf prince does not deserve happiness! _said the fox king, _I must find a way to destroy him._

_ "_At New Years, there was a great party, and all of the wolves and the foxes were invited. The prince and princess were having a wonderful time eating and dancing with their friends. The fox king was there also, and when he saw the princess in her wonderful white fur, he knew exactly what he must do.

"Lost in their own world and consumed by their love for one another, the prince and the princess did not see the fox king approaching them. He took them by surprise, and pulled off the magical wolf skin, exposing the princess for her true, human self!"

"I hate that part," Tsuyoshi mumbled almost inaudibly against his blanket, not far from sleep.

Tokio hated that part too. She remembered the night all too well.

"The prince did not know what to do," she went on, "there was nothing he could do. The spell was broken and the princess was human again. Using his crafty magic, the fox king too became human and immediately married the princess.

"Left all alone, the prince fell deeper and deeper into his sorrow. All of his friends tried to console him, but nothing they said could make him feel any better.

"The princess, forced to live in the fox den with her terrible husband, did not accept defeat at all. Every day she attempted to make an escape and each time she was stopped, she began to plan for her next trick. Frustrated with her disobedience, the fox king took her far away into the mountains where they lived all alone for a very long time.

"One day, the princess was gathering firewood for lunch when a magnificent grey wolf appeared in her path. This wolf did not belong to the home she missed so dearly, but he did not want to hurt her either.

"_Please great wolf,_ she said, _please take me to the prince in the city. He is my true love, but we have been separated by the evil fox king._

_ "I know of this prince, _the great beast replied, _His heart is kind and his soul is gentle. I will return you to your prince, tiny princess._

_ "_And so, the princess climbed up onto the wolf's back and he ran with all his might down the mountain and into the city. Together they found their way into the prince's house and when they princess stood before her love, her eyes became wet with a year's worth of tears and she cried as she hugged his furry neck.

"_I thought I would never see you again! _she cried.

"The prince was very happy that his princess had returned to him, but he was concerned about the next trick that the fox king might spring up on them.

"_What should we do?_ he asked the giant grey wolf, _The fox king will come back to claim her for certain! I am no longer human and cannot protect her as she needs to be protected._

_ "_But the wolf from the mountains simply replied, _She loves you as you are. If you truly love her as she is, it will be enough._

"The prince took this advice and continued to love his brave princess with all of his heart.

"Now at this time, both the prince and the princess had grown very sick. Some people believe it was a curse, put on the both of them for deceiving nature and others believe the illness was caused by their broken hearts."

"Can that really happen, mother?"

Tokio blinked and looked up at Tsutomu, clenching his blankets and gazing at her with a look of concern. His normally narrow eyes were wide with curiosity.

"Can what happen, dear?"

"Is it possible for two people to suffer a physical ailment simultaneously simply because of emotional distress?"

"Yes."

Both mother and son jumped at Saitou's firm reply.

Tsutomu furrowed his brow. "It doesn't make sense to me. If you and mother were to be separated, I have confidence that you would be able to continue on as life dictates. You are the strongest people I know. If this wolf prince truly was the strongest warrior in the land, how then could he fall victim so something so trivial as illness simply because of a woman?"

"Love changes people," Tokio said quietly.

"Love weakens people," came her son's doubtful reply, "I have no use for such romantic frivolities."

"When you have loved and lost," Saitou said evenly, "we will continue on with this conversation. You may find your current deductions of love to be inaccurate and, what is that term you love so much?"

"Juvenile?" Tokio suggested.

"Yes, _juvenile."_

Uncomfortable with his father speaking so harshly in defense of something so feminine and delicate, Tsutomu sat back. _Love_ was a ridiculous female notion and he wouldn't have any part in such nonsense.

"I'm going to sleep," he said stiffly. "Thanks for the story."

Slightly miffed at his abrupt tone, Tokio stood. "Thank you for listening."

She left the room and after Tatsuo was nestled snugly in bed, Saitou joined her in the living area.

"You didn't finish," he said, taking a seat behind her and pulling her up onto his lap. Even now, after three children, she was incredibly tiny and each time he picked her up, this amused him.

Tokio sighed. "You know how it ends. ...You know how it really ended." She paused, taking a deep breath, before adding, "you were there."

"Yes," he breathed in her ear, wrapping his arms around her, "and that foolish princess irritated me at every chance she got."

"You tolerated her though," she said, smiling softly, "I think that made the prince happy."

Saitou didn't reply immediately. He could feel his wife's body growing heavy against his own and he considered how exhausted she must have been. Today had not been a good day for her, the boys all seemingly deciding to be uncontrollably rambunctious at the same time.

He couldn't be more proud of her, his poor little thief-turned-maid wife. She told the story of their friends with such passion and elaboration, glorifying the two and securing their place in history, but what he wondered, was who was going to tell _her_ story?

Their romance wasn't any less exciting, if slightly less dramatic and _significantly_ less stressful. Anyone who had been witness to all the events, however, were now dead, save her father, Kojuro, but he told his own love story with the same fervor that Tokio told Okita and Shousha's.

"Would you like to hear a story?" he asked, wincing as she perked up and twisted around to face him, putting more strain on his legs than he would have liked. Curse aging.

"What is this?" she asked, grey eyes shimmering in the light, her signature feline grin creeping up on her features.

"You always tell the story," he replied nonchalantly, "do you want to hear one?"

"You don't tell stories," she teased.

"Yes or no."

"Yes," she answered, settling herself in his hold, mimicking her toddler's actions from earlier.

He frowned at this, but shook away her excited grin and began.

"Once upon a time there was a not-so-beautiful princess. The princess was a spoiled brat and no one liked her. She fell in love with a prince who got himself turned into a wolf and this was very inconvenient for everyone.

"This not-so-beautiful princess had herself a maid and no one liked her either because she was a thief."

"_Ex-thief_, thank you very much," Tokio huffed, "_really_. I never stole from Yamata house."

Saitou looked down at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Except that once," she corrected hurriedly, "and that was for Papa so it doesn't count."

Biting back a smile, he continued, "One night this maid, who was not as ugly as the princess, got herself into a bit of trouble with some of the other wolves. She would have died, if not for the benevolence of one of the prince's friends who took her home out of the goodness of his heart."

"Or because the maid told him to," she snorted.

"Or because otherwise this story would have a terrible ending."

Tokio sat up then and her smile became less cheeky. She pressed her hand to his cheek and admired his strong features. His hair was becoming flecked with grey and she loved it.

"This story doesn't have an ending yet," she told him softly, "the not-so-ugly maid has been happily married to her very own wolf prince for fifteen years and there isn't a force in the world that can tear them apart."

She was right. Though they were and unlikely pair, and always had been, she was very much like the princess in her story. It didn't matter who or what he had become. She loved him just the same and would continue to do so for the rest of their lives.

For that, he was grateful.

xxxx

**Author's Note: **_The Wolf Prince_ **a.k.a** _Changes in Friendship_ retold by Takagi/Saitou/Fujita Tokio.

Also, I will be writing up the aforementioned meeting of Tokio and Kenshin, but no promises as to when.


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